On 15 May 2023, a large contingent of Chesapeake Bay advocates, practitioners, and scientists gathered at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Eastport to celebrate the career of Carin Bisland. Carin was Branch Chief, Partnerships and Accountability Branch of the Chesapeake Bay Program. There were many nice words spoken about Carin—it was clear that she was appreciated by all who worked with her.

Dave Goshorn, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources, presented Carin with a quite unique honor. Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared Carin as an Admiral of Chesapeake Bay and she received a beautiful framed certificate from Dave.

There were some great things to eat at Carin’s party. Jonathan Doherty, formerly the lead of the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay office, made some amazing raspberry chocolate truffles with the Chesapeake Bay Program logo as edible icing. There were oysters on the half shell, crab balls, crudite, and a giant cake.

We have developed a tradition of producing a song for our friends to commemorate their departure. For Carin, knowing that the event was to be held on the Annapolis Maritime Museum dock on the shore of Chesapeake Bay, an obvious song choice was Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”. Redding was writing about San Francisco Bay, so I teamed up with Gary and Kelly Shenk to write a Chesapeake version of “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”.

Gary and Kelly Shenk’s two sons led us in the audience sing along. Jack Shenk played the guitar and led the singing and his little brother performed the difficult task of whistling the tune. It was an amazing rendition and Carin clearly could feel the love as she was serenaded by the large crowd. The lyrics are as follows:

To the tune of: Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding)

Lyrics: Bill Dennison, Gary Shenk, and Kelly Shenk

Sung by: Jack Shenk

Retirement is calling her name,

but her legacy will remain

Working to protect the Bay

Even when it didn’t go our way

Sittin’ on the dock of the Bay

Watching our finest sail away

Carin’s been saving the Day

Every time

When people think about the Bay

They can’t see water quality

It’s the oysters, crabs, and fish that they

Want to see back in the waterways

Sittin’ on the dock of the Bay

Watching our finest sail away

Carin will show us the way

Every time

Looks like Tuesday’s gonna change

It just never will be the same

No more bagels to start our day

Be they sesame, everything, or plain

Sittin’ here in our conference rooms

Carin made sure our partnership was strong

Across sixty four thousand square miles

Just to make our Bay better

Sittin’ on the dock of the Bay

Watching our finest sail away

She’s a hero of the Chesapeake Bay

For all time.